Prison Officers to be sent to Prison!
by Liam
Just when we were beginning to think industrial action was in the main consigned to history, up has jumped the Prison Officers’ Association.
Whilst this is unlikely to herald a return to the “winter of discontent”as in the early 1970s it has raised an issue of potential illegality or so says the Government in the persona of Mr Straw who has been successful in obtaining a High Court injunction to stop the strike.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice has said the walkout is in breach of the industrial relations legislation though as far as we are aware no specifics have been publicised. The strike is unlikely to be held illegal due to the absence of a ballot as a ballot has taken place with a responce of 87% of members of the P.O.A.
What about the “no strike Agreement”, which the P.O.A. appear to have pulled out of? No strike agreements have been hailed as a “new and realistic approach to industrial relations”, however on this occasion the agreement has been given short shrift. It comes as no surprise that no strike agreements were introduced under the Conservative Government in 1994 and repealed by Labour with the objective of “improving industrial reations”!
It would seem that the Prison Officers Association gave notice of their intention to breach the no strike agreement in June of this year which is something short of the 12 months required.
The legality of the P.O.A.’s actions came under the watchful eye of Mr Justice Ramsey earlier today and the injunction was granted with the words”The administration of the prison service as part of the administration of justice in the country requires the grant of the injunction”. If the prison officers fail to heed the orders coming out of the High Court then contempt proceedings may follow which could result in prison officers seeing the other side of the cell doors!
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